Chrysanthemum plant named &#39;Zanmutang&#39;

ABSTRACT

A  chrysanthemum  plant named ‘Zanmutang’ characterized by its small sized blooms with yellow ray florets and prolific branching; natural season flower date September 20 (week 38) blooming for a period of 4 weeks.

BOTANICAL DESIGNATION

Chrysanthemum×morifolium Ramat.

CULTIVAR DENOMINATION

‘Zanmutang’

RELATED CULTIVARS

This new plant cultivar ‘Zanmutang’ is related to ‘Zanmudande’ (U.S. Plant patent application pending), a sibling obtained from the same cross with parent plants.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of chrysanthemum plant, botanically known as Chrysanthemum×morifolium Ramat., commercially known as a garden mum, and hereinafter referred to by the cultivar denomination ‘Zanmutang’. ‘Zanmutang’ is a product of a breeding and selection program for outdoor pot mums (garden mums) which had the objective of creating new cultivars with a double type inflorescence, a natural season flower date around September 20 (week 38), blooming for a period of 4 weeks. ‘Zanmutang’ is a seedling resulting from a cross of the female parent id 21570 with the male parent id 23262. Both parents are unpatented plants. Plants of the new cultivar ‘Zanmutang’ differ from plants of the female parent in the following characteristics. (1) Plant vigor and (2) Natural season flower date. (1) Plants of the seedling are more vigorous than plants of the female parent. (2). Plants of the seedling flower earlier in season than plants of the female parent.

Plants of the new cultivar ‘Zanmutang’ differ from plants of the male parent in the following characteristics. (1) Plant vigor and (2) Natural season flower date. (1) Plants of the seedling are less vigorous than plants of the male parent. (2). Plants of the seedling flower earlier in season than plants of the male parent.

The new and distinct cultivar was discovered and selected as a flowering plant by Wilhelmus Bernardus Blom on a cultivated field in Rijsenhout, The Netherlands in 2005. The first act of asexual production of ‘Zanmutang’ was accomplished when vegetative cuttings from the initial selection in 2005 were propagated further in a controlled environment in Rijsenhout, The Netherlands. The new cultivar has been found to retain its distinctive characteristics through successive propagations.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention of a new and distinct variety of chrysanthemum is shown in the accompanying drawings, the color being as nearly true as possible with color photographs of this type.

FIG. 1 shows a plant of the cultivar in full bloom.

FIG. 2 shows the various stages of bloom of the new cultivar.

FIG. 3 shows the various stages of foliage of the new cultivar.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The observations and measurements were gathered from plants grown out door in Rijsenhout, The Netherlands under natural day length and temperature and planted in week 23 in 2005. The natural blooming date of this crop was September 20 (week 38). The average height of the plants was 35 cm. No growth retardants were used. No tests were done on disease or insect resistance or susceptibility. No tests were done on cold or drought tolerance. This new variety produces small sized blooms with yellow ray florets blooming for a period of 4 weeks.

From the cultivars known to inventor the most similar existing cultivar in comparison to ‘Zanmutang’ is ‘Zanmusundance’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 21,163.). When ‘Zanmusundance’ and ‘Zanmutang’ are being compared the following difference are noticed: (1) Inflorescence shape. And (2) Number ray florets. (1) The decorative type inflorescences of ‘Zanmutang’ are more round shaped, while those of ‘Zanmusundance’ are more flat. (2). The number of ray florets is higher in ‘Zanmutang’ than in ‘Zanmusundance’.

The following is a description of the plant and characteristics that distinguish ‘Zanmutang’ as a new and distinct variety.

The color designations are taken from the plant itself. Accordingly, any discrepancies between the color designations and the colors depicted in the photographs are due to photographic tolerances. The color chart used in this description is: The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, edition 2001.

TABLE 1 Detailed Botanical Description Bud Size Small; cross-section 5 mm, height 4 mm Shape Round Texture Pubescent Outside Color Greyed-green 191A Phyllaries Number 20, arranged in 3 rows Shape Elliptic Apex Acute Base Truncate Margin Entire Color Upper surface: Green 137C Lower surface: Green 137D Length and width 4 mm; 2 mm Texture Pubescent Inflorescences Type Double Height 1.2-1.3 cm Diameter   3 cm Peduncle length 5.6-6 cm Peduncle color Green 137C Peduncle diameter 1.5 mm Peduncle texture Pubescent Number per branch Approx. 5 inflorescences Duration of flowering   4 weeks Seeds Produced in small quantities, ovate, Greyed-brown 199A, length 1.5 mm, diameter 0.5 mm Fragrance Faint chrysanthemum odor Color Center of inflorescence Immature stage: Yellow 13B Mature stage: Yellow 7A Color of upper surface of the ray- Yellow 13C florets Color of the lower surface of the Yellow 11C ray-florets Tonality from Distance A garden mum with yellow blooms Color of the ray-florets after aging Yellow 13c of the plant Ray florets Texture Upper and lower surface smooth Number  230-240 Shape Elliptic Apex Dentate Base Attentuate Cross-section Flat Longitudinal axis of majority Straight Length of corolla tube 4 mm Ray-floret margin Entire Ray-floret length  1.2-2 cm Ray-floret width   3-4 mm Ratio length/width High Disc florets Disc diameter in mature 2-4 mm inflorescences Distribution of disc florets Scarce Shape Tubular Color Yellow-green 145C at base to Green Yellow 1D at apex Length 3.8 mm Diameter 2.5 mm Receptacle Color Yellow-green 145D Shape Conical raised Height 4 mm Diameter 3 mm Reproductive Organs Androecium Present on only disc florets Stamen length 3 mm Stamen color Yellow-green 144A Anther color Yellow 3A Pollen Present Pollen color Yellow 13A Gynoecium Present on both ray and disc florets Style color Yellow-green 154C Style Length 3 mm Stigma color Yellow 7A Stigma Width 1 mm Ovary Enclosed in calyx Plant Form Grown as a spray type pot mum, outdoor raised and mounded Growth habit Spherical shape Growth rate Medium Height 35 cm Width 50-55 cm Stem Color Greyed-brown 199A Stem Strength Strong Stem Brittleness Brittle Stem Anthocyanin Coloration Not observed Internode length  2-2.5 cm Length of lateral branch From top to bottom 18-20 cm Lateral branch color Green 137 C Lateral branch, attachment Brittle Lateral branch diameter  2 mm Branching (average number of Prolific with 7 breaks after pinching lateral branches) Natural season blooming date September 20 (week 38) Foliage Leaf color Upper side: Green 139A to 139B Lower side: Green 137D Color midvein Upper side: Yellow-green 147D Lower side: Yellow-green 148D Size Small; length 1.5-3 cm, width 1- 2.5 cm Quantity (number per lateral 17-19 branch) Shape Elliptic Texture upper side Sparsely pubescent Texture under side Pubescent Venation arrangement Palmate Shape of the margin Smooth to serrated Shape of Base of Sinus Between Rounded Lateral Lobes Margin of Sinus Between Lateral Diverging Lobes Shape of Base Attenuate Apex Mucronulate Petiole length  3-4 mm Petiole diameter   1 mm Petiole color Yellow-green 147D

TABLE 2 Differences with the comparison varieties ‘Zanmutang’ ‘Zanmusundance’ Inflorescence height  1.2-1.5 cm 0.5 cm Number ray florets  230-240 Approx. 140 

I claim:
 1. A new and distinct chrysanthemum plant named ‘Zanmutang’ as described and illustrated. 